Lifestyle changes to maintain a healthy weight

For those of us who have been overweight and were finally able to shed those unwanted pounds and for those who still want to lose some weight, thinking in terms of lifestyle changes is more beneficial than dieting. This is especially true for long-term weight maintenance. The ability to purchase more food products that contain low-calorie or no-calorie sweeteners can enhance our experience of enjoying food while maintaining a healthy weight.

Let’s start with some basics. Nonfat milk is something one might need to acquire a taste for, but using it can save a lot of calories, especially if a person drinks or uses a lot of milk in cooking. Bread with just 45 calories can be found in stores and usually for less at a bakery. Egg alternatives are available under name and generic brands, and lower-calorie butter can be purchased in both stick and other forms. The fat content in these items is also reduced.

Regular mealtime can include a frozen diet meal that is microwaved or can simply be a proper serving of meat (chicken, fish, and turkey are generally good choices) along with a selection of vegetables and fruit. Fried meat has a higher fat content than meat cooked with other preparation methods. If frying is necessary, olive oil is generally best for frying foods and keeping fat calories to a minimum. At breakfast time, the bacon can be substituted for turkey bacon and the cereal can be enhanced with fresh fruit and artificial sweetener.

Eating three smaller healthy meals should be done in conjunction with snack time. Sometime between breakfast and lunch and lunch and dinner there are times to have a healthy snack. The fruit can be bought canned with artificial sweetener and, of course, fresh. Low-fat cottage cheese can be a good snack, as can yogurt, which is now also sold with reduced calories. For those in a hurry, a reduced calorie shake can be a quick way to snack. French fries are now available in reduced fat and reduced calories.

Beverages are now offering alternatives to the substitutes they’re putting in their diet colas. This could be something that would improve the taste of diet sodas, for those who were once dissatisfied with their taste. The taste of the water can also be enhanced with low-calorie or no-calorie mixes.

Dessert for the dieter is not something to be completely avoided. Reduced-calorie ice cream and frozen desserts can now be purchased along with 100-calorie packets of cookies (which are now available under non-commercial brands). The dieter may also consider baking desserts with low-calorie sweeteners, but must watch the fat content in the recipe. Reduced calorie sweets are also available.

While the amount of exercise will always be a factor in the diet, people can consider all non-sedimentary activity as exercise. Doing house and yard work is exercise, as is walking in the mall. It’s still better to do exercise that gets your heart rate up, for thirty minutes, three times a week. Activities such as jogging, bicycling, and swimming are appropriate activities for the person who wants to increase the heart rate, but a doctor should be consulted before engaging in exercises to increase the heart rate.

Choosing the right things to eat and drink is making it easier for people to live lifestyles conducive to healthy weight management, without compromising the taste and enjoyment of food.

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